WOODBRIDGE Last year, Virginians were stunned by the senseless slaughter of innocent life at Virginia Tech by a self-absorbed murderer. As details unfolded, we discovered that much needed to be done to better secure our campuses.

In response to Gov. Tim Kaine's Executive Order No. 44 Establishing Preparedness Initiatives in State Government (now codified in law by the General Assembly), Virginia's universities improved campus security and notification. But an attack this year by another maniacal killer at Northern Illinois University reminds us that much more needs to be done.

The sad reality is that depending on federal, state, and local governments alone to swoop in to save the day won't work. Despite their commitment to the welfare of their communities, they cannot address the complexities and scope of the problem adequately. The answer lies in a new model. That's why innovative leaders across Virginia's government, academic, and business communities have established the Commonwealth Homeland Security Foundation (CHSF). This not-for-profit foundation is carefully structured to raise industry and private assets to fund university-applied research that will address the well-crafted security objectives of government and industry.

In this way, the CHSF will foster solutions to better enable Virginia's communities and leaders to deal with both man-made and natural disasters. The CHSF is postured to be a strategic match maker for the kinds of solutions that will address real security needs in Virginia.

So where will we begin? As you might have guessed, the CHSF quickly focused on campus readiness after the Virginia Tech tragedy. However, as we coordinated with many state agencies, corporate stakeholders, and local communities, we discovered two things. First, there were already significant, albeit multiple and uncoordinated, efforts to address security and readiness among the universities. Second, there was, and is today, an equally profound and compelling need to address the full range of emergency-response needs faced by elementary and secondary (K-12) educational facilities in the commonwealth, not only those stemming from terrorist-type acts.

K-12 school sites are particularly vulnerable targets for foreign and domestic terrorists given their easy access (by design) to the public and their wide range of student ages and maturity. Moreover, as was demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina, the evacuation and accountability of young children during emergencies is a complex task requiring significant preparation and forethought.

It is imperative that state and local governments address, in a comprehensive and holistic manner, the security and emergency response needed to secure our schools from direct assault or the effects of natural disasters while promoting periodic interoperability exercises among civic leaders, first responders, school staff, and faculty.

So how do we proceed? First, we must address the policy framework and doctrinal principles to guide the establishment of solutions to help prevent and mitigate the impact of natural and man-made threats to students.

Second, we must enhance security by focusing on the identification, detection, and disarmament of terrorists or other criminal targets in the proximity or on the grounds of a K-12 site. In the process, we must identify available technologies and best practices that integrate first responders, school authorities, and any other agencies of the government while looking for innovations that further enhance security and response.

Third, we must improve our ability to evacuate K-12 facilities and reunify kids with their parents including the provision of real-time and accurate information concerning the whereabouts of children and parents during the link-up process.

Finally, we must rigorously test and evaluate proposed research solutions using clear metrics and testing in a realistic environment -- such as pilot projects in different regions of the state -- to ensure they work before we sink major investments into any solution.

To get this critical effort underway, the CHSF will bring resources to bear through applied research grants to Virginia's major public research universities (currently George Mason, Old Dominion, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, and William and Mary) to significantly improve the security and safety of Virginia's K-12 system. The time for this work is now, not after the next tragedy. We're beginning with our kids, because they are precious, important, and very vulnerable.

In the months ahead, the CHSF will engage the best, brightest, and most generous among us to do what must be done -- now -- to better secure the commonwealth. Waiting on the federal government won't work. That's why we are calling on all Virginians to step up and join our effort.